Engine Life Extended with Advantage Lubricants & Oil Analysis Program

A million miles may seem like a lot to the average driver, but not for Jason Roell, the maintenance manager for Crum Trucking of Batesville, Indiana.

“We regularly take our trucks to a million miles and we have a good number of trucks that will see 1.4 or 1.5 million miles – all without an engine overhaul,” said Roell. “Being able to extend the life of our trucks and minimize downtime are our goals in the maintenance department at Crum Trucking. If we can accomplish those two things, Crum Trucking gets more value out of the investment they make in the diesel engines and trucks they purchase.”

Roell attributes the longevity of Crum Truck engines to good oil and good maintenance.

Not long ago, Roell took the time to thoroughly analyze the condition of a Crum truck with 1.2 million miles on its diesel engine.

“The oil analysis on the engine was coming back with great numbers, but we wondered if Cummins, the engine manufacturer, might recommend an engine overhaul based on the mileage alone,” said Roell. “So, we had our OEM rep come out and do a thorough analysis on the engine.”

His findings?

“The Cummins rep was impressed with the condition of the engine,” said Roell. “There was very little wear on the bearing material and very little pitting on the cylinder lining. For me, that was the confirmation I needed that the engine was in good shape, our CountryMark oil analysis program was accurate, and our Advantage 15W40 Lubricants were giving us the engine protection we needed to take our engines well past a million miles. For us, that’s huge.”

Easy-to-read reportsRoell is a believer in the CountryMark Total Analysis Program.

"Oil analysis is like a blood test for your diesel engine,” said Roell. “You can speculate and guess how you think your engine is performing and what your engine needs, but without an oil analysis, it really isn’t anything more than just that – a guess. I wouldn’t want to maintain this fleet of 120 trucks without the CountryMark Total Analysis Program. It’s simple to take the oil samples and the reports significantly improve our ability to get the maximum performance from our diesel fleet.”

Roell’s Total Analysis reports are emailed to him, so he has access to his results immediately after they are analyzed by an independent technician.

“The reports are easy to read and the colors are extremely helpful,” said Roell. “Because of the color system, I know at a glance if I need to bring a truck in for service.”

Access to valuable expertiseRoell also likes knowing his local CountryMark branded dealer and two CountryMark oil specialists are copied on the lab reports he receives.

“I rely on CountryMark to be a second set of eyes,” said Roell. “They’re like my insurance plan. We have people in our shop that are reviewing every report that comes in, but I know if we miss a problem, CountryMark is going to call or email me to make sure I’m on it.”

Roell also likes the expertise he has available to him through his local branded dealer and the CountryMark team.

“I know if a contaminant or a wear metal I’m not familiar with shows up on one of my reports, I can either call my local branded dealer or CountryMark, and they will have the answers I need,” said Roell.

Cost savings Industry experts will tell you for every dollar you spend on oil analysis, you’ll save $40.

“I wouldn’t disagree with that rule of thumb,” said Roell. “It regularly saves us money by helping us identify minor problems before they become major problems. For example, the Total Analysis Program has helped us catch a number of leaky EGR coolers, and catching engine problems early has been our key to keeping vehicle maintenance costs under control.”

Resale valueCrum Trucking has also seen the value of good quality oil and oil analysis pay off on truck resale.

“When our trucks are sold, we typically share our oil analysis history with the buyer,” said Roell. “Being able to document the health of the engines and trucks we’re selling adds value to our trucks. By looking at our Total Analysis reports, buyers know exactly how the engine and the fluids have performed to date.”

Summary“Our real passion is getting the most value from our diesel engines,” said Roell. “We use Advantage Lubricants and the Total Analysis Program because these products and services extend the life of our diesel engines. It’s our goal to run our diesel engines in excess of a million miles each with minimal downtime for repairs. CountryMark’s high quality lubricants and commitment to service help us reach those goals.”

About Crum Trucking Crum Trucking has been in the trucking business since 1963. This Batesville, Indiana, company specializes in hauling automotive and trailer parts through all 48 in the continental U.S. Their fleet consists of 120 trucks and 250 trailers. They run Cummins engines and, for the most part, their trucks return home every other night or every third night, allowing for centralized fueling and engine maintenance.

Reducing its environmental impact, improving the safety and reliability of its refinery, and producing more gasoline for its valued customers have been the results of CountryMark's 2017 refinery upgrades.

"Longevity is key in our business. If our trucks are running and functioning well, then our business is also doing well. CountryMark Advantage Lubricants Diesel Engine Oil helps extend our drain intervals, keeping our trucks on the road more and in the shop less."